Ad Idem ::of the same mind::
by mystikeyes
Summary: Two young ladies have fallen into the divine hands of Connor and Murphy. All they have to do is protect them.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters from the movie "Boondock Saints" is entirely owned by Troy Duffy. 

_**Ad Idem**_ _(Of The Same Mind)_

Conner and Murphy sat in their parked car and waited for the target quietly across the street from a run down motel in central Boston. The only light was the soft glow from the street lights. Shadows moved in the dark, revealing the target's infidelities.

"Connor, how long do you think he'll be in there? Does it really take this long?" Murphy whispered impatiently, lighting a cigarette .

"Murph, not everyone is like you...he may actually take time ta enjoy it, the sick bastard." Connor answered in a disgusted scowl, sliding lower in his seat behind the wheel. The target's name was Leonard Macavelle. An under boss of the Italian mafia. Not only did he cheat on his wife as often as he could, but he did it with underage girls.

"Sshh..here he comes." Murphy and Connor watched a smirking Leonard quietly step out of the rundown motel. His dark black hair was mussed and he was still adjusting his clothes. He closed the door, absently looked around for anyone watching, and got in his car to leave. With the headlights off and staying a good distance behind him, the brothers followed Leonard to the alley that he usually disposed of the 'evidence' in. As Leonard stopped his car near the alley, Connor parked in front of him and the two brothers silently approached Leonard on either side

"Who da fuck are you?" Leonard demanded, throwing back anther gulp of whiskey, eyes wide, ready for whatever was thrown at him. Almost.

"We're your salvation." Murphy said with a determined expression. The two raised their guns and directed him to his knees for his final prayer.

"And Shepherds we shall be, for thee my Lord for thee, Power hath descended forth from thy hands, that our feet may swiftly carry out thy command. And we shall flow a river forth to thee and teeming with souls shall it ever be. En nomine patri, et filie,  
Spiritus sancti."

The silencer on their weapons made the process easier to disguise. As they put pennies over Leonard's eyes, Connor heard the sound of breaking glass then a loud bang near the dumpster behind them. The two men spun around, and stepped behind the walls for cover.

"Murph," Connor nudged his brother and they drew their weapons. Murphy slowly walked around the dumpster, as Connor covered him from behind the wall, to see a whimpering young woman crouched face down in the corner. Murphy signaled to Connor that it was safe.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently, lowering himself to her level slowly. The woman looked to be badly hurt.

"Sshh...please! He'll hear you!" She whispered quivering desperately; then painfully looked up and then around. There were shards of glass stuck in her arms and legs, as well as a cut on the side of her head, matting her already red hair with blood. The cuts were bleeding badly. Connor joined them next to the dumpster.

"Wh..." She motioned for Connor to be quiet this time. They heard someone call her name from a window right above them. The girl let out a cry of fear.

"JO!" Josephine looked up again at the familiar voice of her sister, Grace, "God! Jo, are you okay? How in god's name did you get down there?" Jo slowly got up with the help of Connor and stumbled to the other side of the alley, so she could see Grace.

"I jumped out of the window, I had to get away from him...wait, where is he? How did you get past him?" Jo asked her sister.

"After you called me and hung up I knew something was wrong and I knew it had to do with that prick. I picked up a broken piece of cement off my balcony and brought up with me...I hit him pretty hard" she stopped and looked behind her "...but we should get going before he wakes up."

Grace disappeared back into the apartment. Jo turned to Connor to thank him and saw the dead body of Leonard. Her green eyes widened, Connor saved her from another fall as she let go of him to cover her mouth to keep the gasp in her mouth.

"What happened?" Connor looked at Murphy, unable to find an explanation. "What happened!" She screamed.

"Calm down, miss..." Connor said softly.

"That's my uncle!" Connor bowed his head in disbelief, searching for a way to explain the situation. He didn't get a chance. He felt her shakily stand on her own and take a deep breath. "It's okay. I shouldn't have gotten so upset. I know who you are."

"You do?" Murphy asked. Grace turned the corner into the alley with a bag of clothes and a wallet. She saw the body and gasped. "oh, my god! Lenny!"

"It's ok Gracie." She turned back to Connor and Murphy. "You're the saints, aren't you? The two men who murder evil men...as a mission of God? I knew you would get to our family. It was only a matter of time. Don't worry Grace. They won't think it's us...even if they do we'll be gone." Jo said, reassuring herself.

Grace handed Jo the bag and wallet, wrapped Jo's arm around her waist for support and turned to leave, giving the brothers a nod as she did so. Connor and Murphy exchanged glances.

"Wait," The brothers said in unison "If you're related to this man, and your apartment is there, your family will probably suspect you. Maybe you should stay with us for the night." Connor looked at Jo, who smiled.

"Under one condition," Grace added.

"Condition? We're not doing this for any other reason than to protect you..." Murph said, annoyed. Connor nudged him hard in his ribs. Expecting a bit more respect to women, especially women in trouble, out of his brother. "Well we're not...what's the one condition lass?"

Grace smiled wide, then looked to Jo, who smiled even wider. They looked back to the boys in unison. "We haven't had a good beer in months." Grace replied with a laugh.

"We can definitely help with that." Connor chuckled as he stepped forward and took the bag from Jo as the four walked in the shadows to the car. They drove for about ten minutes to a broken down house behind McInty's bar. Connor knocked on the door and waited for Doc's arrival. He heard movement behind the door, probably Doc checking the peephole.

"Hello b-b-boys!" Doc greeted in a robe, holding a beer in one hand and a cutting knife in the other. "Who are these two l-l-lovely l-l-ladies? FUCK! ASS!" Doc asked as he ushered the four in and gave them each a beer, and pliers and sterile cloths to Grace to remove the shards of glasses from Jo's skin, and dress the wounds.

"You look like you done this before." Murphy commented as he took a seat across from Grace.  
"We'll in our life, it's kind of a survival tactic. Normal people wouldn't be conscience for days after that jump Jo made, we've grown strong over the years." The girls explained to the brothers and Doc that Leonard was their uncle. Nicolas Macavelle, a Boss, also in the Italian Mafia, was their father. He often used the girls for bait, to trap men who he wanted to get rid of. Even though both girls grew up in the mafia, neither one would accept it.

"There is no reason for it. People murder each other over a white substance that makes you feel..." Jo faded off, shaking her head, as if there were something she couldn't bring herself to say.

"We never wanted to be in this life. Our father forced us to witness it, telling us it was the life we needed. It was the only way we were ever going to get taken care of." Murphy watched Grace's lips as she talked. Her pale skin, shocking blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair were the perfect combination of beauty. Her voice was sensual and sexy...Murphy found if difficult not to reach and touch her.

"Murph?" Connor looked to his brother, needing a cigarette. He was mesmerized by something. Connor followed Murphy's gaze over to where Grace and Jo were now looking at Murphy, each with a humorous smile. Jo let out a little giggle.

"MURPH!" The sound of Connor's voice in his ears made him realize he was staring at Grace.

"I'm getting tired...I think I'll go lay down." Murph lied. He handed Connor his pack of smokes and walked into the farthest room on the right and sat on the edge of the bed. He rested his head in his hands trying to shake his embarrassment away, and get Grace out of his mind. He heard a knock, and the door opening. Hoping it was Grace he looked up quickly. It was Doc, with blankets.

"Thanks Doc, damn decent of ya ta take us all in like this"

"T-t-think nothing of it. T-t-those girls are b-b-b FUCK! ASS! p-pretty. I saw you eyeing the shorter one." Doc looked at Murphy with knowing eyes.

"Naw, Doc. We're letting them stay with us tonight so that their family doesn't get hold of 'em. Tomorrow they will be on their way. Hell, I doubt they had anywhere else to go. They agreed to come with us easily." Doc shook his head and walked out of the room. "T-t-tell yourself what you n-n-need to, boyo."

Murphy heard someone at his door again.

"Look Doc," He looked up to see Grace's small frame standing in his doorway. "Oh, I'm sorry." He uttered as he stood.

"Don't be. I saw you staring at me earlier." She said with a soft smile. Murphy blushed.

"I wasn't staring at you... I drifted off. I'm tired." He lied. In fact he probably wouldn't be able to sleep even a minute tonight.

"Don't make excuses." she laughed "I didn't mind. I mean, at first it was a little unexpected, but I don't mind. It makes me feel.." she stopped, as if debating if she should continue, then shrugged "...pretty."

"You have no excuse to not feel pretty, you're...not bad." Murph replaced his head in his hands. Although he felt like he should have put his foot in his mouth.

"Not bad...I don't know to take that. Goodnight Murphy. And uh… thanks." Grace walked across to her room as Connor walked in. Connor and Grace wished each other good night and she left with a last look at Murphy. Connor did nothing but laugh at Murphy.

"Don't even start. I know I was staring."

"Oh I don't blame ya Murph, she's a fine lookin' woman." Connor sat down next to his twin "At least you weren't lookin at the prettier one, else we wouldda had ta call ma and have her play referee." He nudged Murphy in his ribs, and they both smiled broadly.

"Yea she always did tell us ne'er to fight over a lass. I thought redheads weren't your style though?"

"Aye, they're not, but when you get one as pretty as that Jo…well, what's a man ta do?" Connor threw up his hands as if in surrender. "besides, they look plenty Irish, got the right soundin names too, Ma would have ta accept em." He joked. Mrs. McManus had never been thrilled at the idea of her sons seeing women of different origins. 'keep the Irish blood strong and thick' she always told them.  
Grace helped her younger, yet taller sister hobble into the guest room that Doc showed them to. "Y-you l-l-ladies need anything before I t-t-turn in? Doc asked nervously.

"No thank you Doc. I'm sure we'll be just fine." Grace assured.  
"yea, and thank you for being kind enough to let us stay here, even though we are Italian." Jo said as Grace practically dropped her on the bed.

"Oh, I don't mind a b-b-bit. FUCK! ASS! In fact, you g-g-girls aren't even the f-f-first Italian to sleep in t-t-that bed. A very d-d-dear FUCK! ASS! F-f-friend stayed here often. I've missed having him around. B-b-besides, no use l-l-letting comfortable beds go to waste. Sleep well g-g-girls.

"What a sweet old man" Jo sighed as her head sunk into the pillows.

"Yea, he really is. We'll have to get more bandages for those cuts in the morning. You're lucky they didn't need stitches." Grace muttered as she went about checking the wrapping on her sister.

"Oh would you leave me alone. We have bigger things to worry about than me. You know Danny is gonna come lookin for me, and he'll be madder then ever cause I ran. He'll go straight to the family, and act as if WE'RE the ones being the embarrassment!" Jo cried, exasperated.

"I know, but maybe this is what we need. This is the out we've been looking for! Hell, we know the ways of the mafia, we can disappear…just like we always planned."

"Grace, you know the cops are gonna come looking for us, and if they find us, the family will to. What are we gonna do then? If we survive the family, we'll go to prison for the murder of our own uncle." Jo looked as if she were about to have an aneurism.

"We won't go to prison." Grace cooed on in Jo's ear, attempting to calm her. "We'll figure out a way around Lenny's murder"

"How? Tell them it was the saints? Betray them after they helped us?"

"No no, of course not! We'll just lie…we never saw the body ok? We just ran from your crazy boyfriend. Besides, how could we not protect the best interests of such fine, and I do mean, fine, men?" they shared a laugh, and decided to call it a night.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: ok guys, heres chapter 2. let us know what you think.

Chapter2-breakfast

The next morning, Murphy and Connor woke up to the Grace fixing breakfast in Doc's kitchen, with the assistance of the hobbling Josephine. The brothers looked at each other, amused, and joined Doc at the table.

"Don't get used to it boys. She's really not a good cook." Jo giggled. Grace shot her a look, as if to say, 'I'll kill you later.' 

"I'm sure she's a fine cook. Ma'am," Murphy joked, "I'd like mine without the shells." Grace shot him the same look.

"If you guys keep this up you won't get any food. I'll save it all for Doc and I." Grace replied as she added salt to the scrambled eggs.

"What about me? I didn't do anything. I'm actually innocent for once." Connor said in a high pitched, defensive voice.

"You may not have said anything, but you're his brother…which means you were thinking it." Connor looked hurt. Grace sent him a little giggle as she dropped an egg in the pan. 

"So, Bob Evans anyone?" Jo chirped. Connor picked his car keys up off of the counter and walked outside, laughing the whole way. Murphy, laughing as well, added "You shouldn't be a professional cook, you don't take orders very well." Grace threw the remaining stick of butter at him, but missed and hit the wall.

"Baseball may not be the right profession either." Murphy ran out the door, fearing what may be catapulted in his direction next. Grace rolled her eyes and grabbed a towel to clean the butter off of the wall. She tossed the marinated towel onto a pile of what seemed to be dirty laundry and walked out the door. She stopped in her tracks, feeling as if she were forgetting something.

"JO!" Grace ran back into Doc's house to see him picking Jo off of the floor. "What happened? Jo, I'm so sorry, I for…"

"Yeah, say it. You forgot me. You've been forgetting me for twenty one years."

"No, the first few years were intentional. But then I started forgetting you." Grace helped Jo to her feet and out the door. She seemed to be leaning on Grace more today than the day before.

"Are you sore?" Grace inquired, feeling stupid even before she'd finished speaking.

"No, I like jumping out of windows." As the girls exited the house, they saw the brothers standing next to the car smoking a cigarette. They stopped walking, waiting to see if the men would offer to help. But seeing as the girls were getting no attention paid to them, they continued with the hobbling. As Grace and Jo passed by the oblivious men, she remarked, "No, no. We don't need any help. But thanks anyway."

"I would have helped, but we're paying for breakfast. And I don't mean paying for it, as in we have to eat your cooking." Murphy replied. Grace stood up after helping Jo into the car.

"Is this how you flirt with girls? I mean, does the whole, 'pulling her hair and run' thing actually work?" Grace asked, seeming genuinely concerned. Murphy stuck his tongue out and got into the car. "Oh real mature."

Connor started the car, with Grace behind him, Murphy next to him, and Jo behind Murphy. He planned it like that so that he could secretly look in the rearview mirror at Jo. He just had to make sure he paid more attention to the road than to her. When they arrived at the restaurant, Connor didn't turn the car off.

"What the hell are ya waiting for?" Confused and hungry Murphy asked.

"Is it a good idea to be eating out when we're on the run? I mean, isn't that kind of like saying, 'Hey, come and get me?" Connor said. He peeked a glance back at Jo, who had fallen asleep in the backseat. "Is she okay?" Connor asked Grace, "Did she not sleep last night?"

Grace looked over at her sister, and back at Connor. She opened the window and lit a cigarette, acting as if she didn't hear him. Murphy looked at Connor and wiggled his finger in a circle next to his ear, implying insanity, thinking that Grace wouldn't see.

"I'm not crazy, jackass. She just…" Grace paused, made sure her sister was actually asleep, and took a deep breath, "She has some things in her past that haunt her. When we were in our early teens, she picked up a habit. I'm surprised she came out of it actually. I thought I was going to lose her. But when she left the hospital, barely alive, she came to me for support to quit."

"Is that why you take such good care of her?" Murphy asked. Grace gave a small smile and nodded. He watched as she slowly inhaled her cigarette, and blew it out. Stop it, Murph. You're staring again. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Yes. I had always tried to help her, but she never wanted it. She never could cope with our families lifestyle. I hated seeing her do that to herself, but I hated worse what she let other people do to her. Danny is a perfect example. Although they got together after the addiction, there were others like him. Worse than him. That's why she doesn't sleep well. I guess she feels safe right now. Otherwise she wouldn't be asleep."

"She'll never have a reason to feel unsafe, ever again." Connor said softly. Grace smiled at him.

"You're a good man Connor." Murphy looked left out. "I'm still deciding about you." Grace watched as Jo twitched in her sleep.

"Maybe we should get some food and take it back to the house. But we can't stay for much longer. I'll get it." Getting out the money he had in his pockets, Connor asked Murphy for some money.

"Oh, I don't have any. I gave it to you last night remember?"

"Damn, that's right. I must have left it on the nightstand in the bedroom." Grace bent down to get money out of her shoe. She kept it there so if she got mugged, they wouldn't take all of what she had. She held the money out to Murphy, who wrinkled his nose.

"I don't want your nasty foot money. You take it Connor." He pushed her hand towards Connor, who in turn, smacked him on the back of the head.

"You've got to learn to RESPECT women."

"Do you remember how I respected the last woman I met?" Murphy gave him a sly, reminiscent look.

"Maybe you should stick to being an ass. You're definitely your mother's son." Connor got out of the car, muttering, Evil fuckin' woman.

"She's your mother!" Murphy yelled after him. Connor just waved his hand at Murphy. Grace smiled, a bit confused as to what joke she was in the dark about, and bent over to retie her shoe. As she was tying the knot, she felt a sharp tug on her ponytail. Startled, she looked up at a sleeping Jo, then at Murphy. The big grin on his face gave him away. Hands reaching for his neck, Grace leaped into the front seat at Murphy.

"Whoa there killer!" Murphy laughed as he grabbed her hands and moved them out of reach of his neck, making Grace fall into him. She looked up into his eyes, dark brown and light blue locked ,and for a moment thought he would kiss her. Jo whimpered in her sleep, making Grace return to the backseat to make sure she was okay. After assuring herself that Jo wasn't having a nightmare, Grace sat back in her seat, masking her disappointment of the moment being ruined. Murphy sighed, and leaned his head back on the headrest. Almost, Murph, almost. Connor walked out with three bags, which he handed in to Murphy, who started rifling through them.

"Have some manners, boyo. At least wait until we get back to the house and Jo is awake."

Once again acting like a school boy Murph replied, "You just want Jo to like you."

"Jeez, Murph. Let's not break out into K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Grace mumbled from the backseat. Connor laughed and Murphy got a bit of a pensive look on his face, causing Connor to laugh again.

"Pay ya back when we reach Doc's lass" Connor informed Grace, who waved the comment off.

"Don't even think about it. Breakfast is the least I can do to repay what you've done for us. You even got that rat bastard Lenny off our hands. If anything, I owe ya one." Grace replied absently.

"You seemed a little upset last night" Connor recalled.

"Wasn't expecting to see a body laying in the middle of the alley, surprised me is all. Never once did you hear me say I was upset over it. I won't have to tell my friends not to come around now. You did me a favor. I would have liked to have done it myself."

The boys smiled and Connor started the car and headed back to Doc's. Both Grace and Murphy were lost in their own thoughts, and Jo had slumped over to rest on her sisters shoulder, providing Connor with a better view of the sleeping redhead. He smiled as she mumbled something in her sleep. Connor was quickly becoming more and more fond of the sassy mob princesses, but something about them pulled at the back of his mind. Something about them just didn't add up. He'd have to keep his eyes open.

When the four reached Doc's house, Jo was still asleep on Grace's shoulder. "I don't want to wake her. But I suppose I have to, to get her in the house." Grace whispered, as not to wake her baby sister. She carefully sat Jo up in the seat of the car; the movement woke her up and she realized they were back home.

"Did I miss breakfast?" A yawning Jo asked. Connor smiled and shook his head. He handed the keys to the car to Grace, and told her he would help Jo. Grace and Murphy took the food and the keys and headed inside. Connor crossed in front of the car, afraid of looking to eager to help, and opened the car door nearest to Jo. She was having problems standing on her own, after letting her bruised muscles sit still for so long.

"Lass, you can barely stand on your own. We should try to do something about your muscles. They musta gotten a real shock from the jump." He put his arm around her waist and carefully lifted her off of the ground. She stated that she could walk fine, but her trembling legs told Connor otherwise. "Miss, please, I won't drop you. I just don't want you to fall, or use your legs more than you really have to." She succumbed to his offer and let him carry her in the house. He sat her down on the lumpy couch, and went to the kitchen to get her food. Murphy and Grace were busy getting plates for everyone, and busy griping.

"Why do you get more than me? I'm a man, I need more energy." Murphy whined to Grace.

"Actually, this is for Jo. To try and give her a bit more strength. But even so, if you were a real man you wouldn't whine so much." Grace added. She giggled at how Murphy puffed up his chest at the comment. She went into the living room to give Jo her food and passed Connor on the way.

"She seems to be getting weaker. Is there something else wrong with her? I mean, is there some kind of internal, something she could have done to herself?" Grace smiled at his concern for his sister. Stroking his arm for comfort she replied, "No. Her body is just trying to recuperate. She'll probably be tired and weak for a few days. I'll probably have to rub the tension out of some of her muscles, but, other than that, there's nothing we can do."

Connor nodded and walked into the kitchen, thinking about helping relieve Jo's tense muscles. He stood next to Murphy, with his back to the girls, so as not to let them in on the conversation.

"Do you think there's something strange about those two Murph? I mean, doesn't it seem like there's something they're not telling us?" Connor whispered.

"There definitely is something strange about that girl. Where does she come off telling me I whine?" Murphy whispered loudly.

Connor rolled his eyes, "No you stupid ass. Get your mind off of her for a second. It just doesn't seem likely that they are Italian. They don't even look Italian. And the names? Grace? Josephine? Seriously, I don't think they're telling us the whole truth."

" I don't know.…"

Connor ran his fingers through his hair thinking. The girls don't seem like the type that would lie, or at least he hoped not. Murphy tapped Connor, to signal Grace returning to the kitchen.

"What's the hold up boys? Get ya some food." Grace told them. She felt awkward, like she walked in on a top secret conversation. Never the less, she was hungry. The three got their plates and walked into the living room to accompany Jo. Connor sat on the couch next to her, taking Grace's place. She looked around for somewhere else to sit, and decided that the floor next to Murphy's chair was the only good place. 

"I think we should be going soon, Jo." Grace whispered, after a long moment of silence. Jo nodded in agreement. They finished the breakfast in thoughtful silence. After all was consumed, Grace went to the spare bedroom and gathered what little things they had. Jo waited on the couch, watching Connor and Murphy whisper in the kitchen. When Grace came into the living room with the backpack, Jo stood up as best she could and began to walk out the door.

"Can we at least give you a ride home?" Murphy blurted. Grace thought about it.

"It probably isn't a good idea. We wont be there long, just long enough to grab the rest of our things and I mean we've probably got Danny looking for Jo."

"So, having us protect you is a bad idea, how?" Murphy questioned. Grace sighed. 

"At least let us call a cab…" Connor said as he looked at his feet. 

"I guess we could deal with that. Thank you," Jo said as she hugged Murphy. She then hugged Doc who was standing in between the two brothers. She paused as she came to Connor. She smiled, "Thank you. I'll try not to be hurt if we see each other again."

"When, lass, when we see each other again." Connor said softly.

"Yeah, when we see each other again I expect pay back for the cab and the breakfast." Murphy shook his finger at Grace playfully. Rolling her eyes, she pulled him into a sentimental hug, grabbed Jo's hand and stepped outside. They sat on the porch and waited for the taxi cab to arrive.

"What do you think will happen, Gracie?"

"I don't know…but whatever happens, we'll deal with it together." Grace laid a loving hand on Jo's head. The boys stepped outside and stood quietly in front of Grace and Jo. "Listen, if you wont let us go with you for protection, at least take this. You know how to use it don't you?" Connor asked as he held out 2 .40 caliber Taurus.

"Of course, another necessity in our lives" Jo stated bitterly

"Take 'em, so we can at least feel like were protecting you….the real deal is an open invitation though" Murphy said as he looked at Grace, who looked back in an unending gaze. Connor took the gun and slipped them into the bag hanging on Jo's shoulder, getting as close to her as he could. She pulled him into another hug.

"Thank you Connor." Jo whispered into his shoulder, he hugged her tighter in reply.

The rumbling of an almost broken down taxi rolled along side the curb.

Grace hugged Connor and Jo hugged Murphy goodbye.

"Our chariot awaits us." Grace smiled, kissed Jo's fore head, and helped her to the cab. As they rode in the odorous cab, Grace felt a cold chill run up her back. Something felt wrong… she felt as if they were being watched. She turned behind her, but nothing but the empty street stared back at her.

Connor and Murphy stood on the porch steps in silence.

"So….were following 'em right?" Murphy asked as he lit his cigarette

"Aye." 


	3. Chapter 3

Staring at the front of the building where she had almost lost her life, sent a sharp pain of terror through Jo's entire body.

"Let's make this quick Gracie. All I want are some clothes , my money, and my keys." Grace nodded. The door creaked open and Jo smelled the familiar smell of Musk and cheap beer. They bypassed the living room and went into the bedroom. Jo grabbed two pairs of jeans, a handful of shirts, and some undergarments. Shoving the items into a backpack, the girls heard movement in the living room. Grace picked up a flashlight from inside the nightstand, Jo grabbed a remote.

"A remote? Are you serious, Josephine?" Grace whispered in disgust. Jo put the remote down, and picked up an empty beer bottle.

"Grace….they gave us guns….we're stupid." They quickly removed the guns from the bag , turned the safety off, and tucked them into the side of their jeans and pulled the t-shirts over them.

They walked out into the darkness of the living room and found a shadow in the center of the room.

"Hello ladies." A smoky voice said from a chair in the corner. All that was visible were the feet of a woman dressed in red Armani shoes. Jo looked closer and lost her breath. Leonard's wife, Angela sat in the chair, ice blue eyes staring back at her.

"So, funny thing. My husband ended up dead here last night. You two fire balls know anything about that?" Angela said in a low voice. When there was no response, just looks of terror, Angela threw a pile of magazines across the room.

"Now you listen," She screamed, "My husband did nothing to deserve this."

"Oh yeah?" Jo yelled, boldly stepping forward from the doorway. "How about those underage girls he fucked? We couldn't even have friends for fear he'd end up raping them!" It surprised Grace the amount of anger that came out of Jo's voice. It surprised Jo even more.

"Shut up you paddy whore." Angela knew she shouldn't have said that. She took a step back and looked at the ground.

"What did you call us?" Grace questioned Angela in a hiss. Grace thought she was hearing things.

"You heard me…you paddy whore." Angela was too angry to remain quiet for long. "Your 'father' never should have taken you." Trying to fight back the tears welling in her eyes, Grace sat down on couch behind her. It was almost as lumpy as Doc's. She almost laughed at that thought…

"Explain yourself…..quickly." Jo threatened

"I don't have to explain shit to you." With her anger forming, her confidence rose. Angela stepped forward toward Grace. Grace didn't back down, but stood, and stood tall as if to challenge. "You girls were an accident. Like, a mishap that just wouldn't go away." With every sentence, Angela stepped closer.

"We all told them not to keep you. But you're stupid naïve mother, she just couldn't do it. She let a couple of fuckin' paddies into our family; I always told Nicholas after blowing over that leprechaun infested restaurant…once the enemy, always the enemy."

Grace didn't know what to think. _Paddy…leprechaun infested? What was she talking about? What did all of this have to do with us? _Grace felt like she was looking into the eyes of the devil, when she looked at Angela.

"Are you saying…" Grace couldn't fathom the thought of them being Irish.

"Yeah, that's right…you're fucking Irish. You and you're damn sister." Angela took one more step forward. She was so close that Grace could feel the sting of whiskey on her breath.

"Get out of my face, Angela, and out of my house." Grace said, attempting to stay calm.

"Fuck you, paddy. You know the whole fucking family is looking for you? They know you killed Lenny. They're going to kill you when I take you to home."

"At least I'm not a dirty wop like you. And I said get out of my face." Grace pushed Angela with such a force that she stumbled back into the chair. Without thinking, Angela sprang up and at Grace with unyielding strength. Fighting for strength, Jo grabbed Angela's dress and spun her around. The next feeling Jo had was the cold wood floor on one cheek, and stinging flesh on the other. _Boom._ What happened? Jo mustered enough will to look toward Grace; who was looking in terror at the mass of body she was holding up.

"J-Jo, What did I do?" Grace collapsed with Angela's blood on her shirt and a gun in her hands. She rolled the body off of her, and started to hyperventilate. Jo crawled over to her sister.

"Grace, calm down. Lets get our things and go back to Doc's. They'll help." Grace couldn't speak, she just kept staring at the body and crying. The blood on her shirt seeped through to her skin. She ran into the bathroom and stripped herself. It almost felt as if a hole would be bore through her skin from all the scrubbing she was doing. She felt as if she were in a twisted version of a Shakespearian play, and she was Lady Macbeth. Her hands were shaking, her head was spinning. She had to leave. They had to leave before someone found out. She found a relatively clean, not blood stained, shirt and pants and threw them on. Running out of the bathroom, she retrieved the gun from next to the dead body, picked up the bag and said, "Jo, let's move. Someone undoubtedly heard that shot."

They took Jo's car, removed the license plate, and took all the back roads to Doc's house, as to avoid the police. When they arrived at the house, Grace realized the blood was still on her skin. She looked down and shook off her fears one last time. The girls went to the door and banged on it relentlessly, until someone answered. Murphy answered in just a pair of jeans.

Grace moved past Murphy, grabbing his arm to pull him into the living room where Connor sat. "Connor, we've got problems." He saw the blood stains on her hands and knew something was obviously not right.

"Did that bastard, Davey…"

"Danny." Jo corrected him.

"Whatever…did he do something to you?" Murphy asked holstering his gun. "I knew we shouldn't have taken our time. We should have left sooner…If Smecker didn't talk so much…"

"Shut it, Murphy." Connor said, trying to listen over his mindless babbling.

"Danny was still at work. It was our Aunt, Lenny's wife. It's a long story, we'll tell you on the way to the library."

"The library? What? You're not making any sense." Murphy put on a shirt long enough to conceal the holster on his hip, and rushed out the door behind the girls and Connor. "I told him, I told him there was something strange about that girl."

The four rode to the library, Grace explaining what happened.

"So what does this mean? You actually are Irish?" Murphy was baffled at the idea, but strangely hopeful. They arrived at the local library and had the librarian direct them to where they could look through old newspapers.

"Now she said something about a restaurant. It had to have been shortly after we were born…so 1984?" Grace shifted through the newspapers, looking for something, anything they could use. There was nothing. She looked again.

"Wait, Grace, go back." Jo stepped closer to look at a smaller story in the corner of the page.

"Local Irish Restaurant Owner Killed." The girls focused in, Jo narrated.

"Rory O'Dowd was killed yesterday, July 28, in his locally owned restaurant, Auld Dubliner. The body was found…"

"Jo, skip that part. Just see if it says anything about us."

"Sorry." Her eyes scrolled over the story and stopped on the last paragraph. "His two children are still missing, with no evidence as to their whereabouts." Jo stood up straight and looked at Grace.

"Well, Ms. O'Dowd, what do you think we should do?"

"Find out what the hell happened to our parents."

"Wait a second you two," Connor intervened in their conversation. "What are you thinking about doing? This is the mafia you're dealing with here. This isn't a joke."

"Connor, we've been a part of the mafia for over twenty years, we'll be fine." Grace said, reassuring him.

"Yeah well so was Rocco." Connor sighed heavily, remembering his friends bloodied body on the ground. "David Della Rocco was a part of the Yakavetta family. He tried to help us and we got him killed. We're not letting it happen to you too." His blood was hot, from the anger that still resided in heart. He turned his face away from the girls, so as not to show , the inevitability of tears.

"Look, just because we're going to do research about our family doesn't mean that we'll be in danger Connor…" Jo, tried to convince herself that she was telling the truth.

"Josephine, please listen to me. I know you've been a part of this life for a long time," Jo tried to interrupt Connor, but he spoke louder to override her meek voice. "But I cannot justify sending two ladies into the eye of danger. I won't have a part in it."

"You don't really have a choice." She whispered. "I just want to know…I want to know who I am." Connor looked over at the librarian, who was staring at him behind thin framed glasses. He looked at Murphy to signal that it was time to leave, and turned to get Grace.

"Grace, we should go." Connor said. She couldn't hear him over the ringing in her ears. The gunshot was still fresh in her mind, the metallic smell of blood tickled her nose hairs. The scene played out like part of a film noir. Only when she felt three sets of eyes burning into her did she snap out of her trance.

"Gracie, are you going to be okay?" She smiled at her younger sister's innocence. Her lack of knowledge of the world. Although, she didn't have many more years on her, she still felt ages older. She got up, stretched lightly to wake her up, and started out the door. Connor took the girls back to Doc's, for Jo's car.

"Where are ya headin? Will we be able to reach ya?" Murphy asked Grace. She noticed his accent thicken when he was worried.

"We're going to a motel on the other side of town. We're going to give it a few days…let Jo heal up, and try to make our family lose some interest in us." Grace responded.

"It's not likely, lass. The mafia is out for bodies. They won't stop until they have yours." She nodded her head at Murphy. She knew, but she searched for comfort in the thought of being free from this.

"We'll be under different names. And we'll pay in cash, so we aren't leaving any breadcrumbs for them. We'll get a hold of you…will you still be here?"

"We have to be. The remainder of the Yakavettas know where we live, we can't take risk in staying at our apartment." Murphy looked at his feet and back up at Grace. "If you get into any trouble, Grace…"

She let out a slight sigh and hugged the boys. Jo hugged them, and with less effort than before, walked to the car and drove into the streets of Boston.


	4. Chapter 4

Three days passed, and Jo found herself thinking about the newspaper article. They had found out so much and yet still so little. Why did Nicholas kill their father? Why had he not told them that they were not a true part of the family? So many questions running through her mind made her head feel ten times too big. She laid her head down on the pillow and tried to imagine where to go from where they stood. Grace mumbled in her sleep. A sharp intake of breath from Grace's bed let Jo know that she was having a nightmare. Jo rolled to the other side of the bed, her back facing Grace. Silence. But only for a moment.

"Josephine?" Grace's usually strong voice, seemed so small and childlike.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." Jo thought about the concept of love. She loved her boyfriend, who tried to kill her. She loved her parents, who were liars. But she loved her sister, with no regret, no hesitation. She would die for Grace, like Grace almost did for her.

"Jo?" Grace said, waking Jo up from her own thoughts.

"Yeah Gracie?"

"I'm hungry." Jo giggled at her sister. So much was on her mind that she had forgotten to eat.

"Me too."

"I think I'm going to run to the store and get some frozen dinners. Maybe, some ice cream." Grace sat up in her bed, trying to wake up. Sleeping wasn't going well for her. The face of Angela kept appearing in her mind.

"Ok, hurry though?" Jo rolled over again, to reveal her sister looking back at her. She sat up and walked, with ease, to her sister. They shared a long hug, before Grace left on her conquest for food. As Grace left she looked back at Jo to memorize her face, just in case it was the last time she had the privilege of looking at it.

As she walked to the store across the street, Grace fingered the loose change in her pocket. The cool metal reminded her of the gun she had used. It seemed like everything reminded her of that one night, that one instance.

She picked out two dinners, and a tub of Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream; one of the only foods they both liked. The back of her pants got wet as she held the door to the freezer open.

"Shit." She whispered to herself as she tried to wipe away the moisture.

"Need a napkin?" A familiar, yet unknown, voice asked. The scent of Stetson cologne reminded her of her first love, Anthony Martinelle. She didn't look up and politely said no. "Are you sure Gracie?"

Her head snapped up when she heard her name. Her nose was right. There stood Anthony; tall, dark and handsome, smiling back at her. Her bottom lipped dropped slightly, as she searched for the right words.

"Uh…" Grace couldn't believe how she was acting. She was acting like the same schoolgirl she was when she met him three years ago. Fresh out of high school and ready to take on the world, Anthony swept her off of her feet and then left her to 'soul search'.

"Hi Anthony." She managed to spit out. She stopped wiping her hand on her backside and stood up straight. _Snap out of it Grace._ She took a few seconds to recuperate from the shock. "Did you find your soul yet?" After all this time was she still bitter? No, just shocked at the man standing before her.

"Unfortunately no. But, I did find a two week marriage, annulment, and a crazy father in law." He said very matter of fact-ly. She smirked.

"What do you want Anthony?" Grace asked, not really knowing what to expect.

"I don't know…"

"Oh well that's nothing new." Grace interrupted. He took a step toward her and put his hand to her face. A tingling sensation flushed through Grace's face as his fingers ran smoothly across her cheek. Pain, heartache and all the tears she had cried welled up behind her eyes. Blinking the memories and tears away, she tried to resist his touch. His eyes were just as mesmerizing and powerful now as they were then.

"I know I made a mistake, Grace. Quite possibly the biggest mistake of my life. I'm not asking you to forgive me but I am asking for a chance to apologize and maybe start over." Sincerity pooled in his blue eyes making Grace's lips quiver. It surprised her how little convincing it took for her to succumb to his offer. She took his hand and smiled.

"I don't want to rush things. I've thought of you every day for the past year and a half. Of course I'll give you a second chance but, understand it will take a while for me to trust you again." He nodded, agreeing and understanding. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and started to leave.

"Wait Grace," She stopped at the doorway and faced him. "I don't know where you are or a phone number for you." He said, hoping for some kind of lead as to where she was staying.

"I, uh, don't really have a set place right now. Why don't we just meet somewhere and have coffee? Around nine tonight?" She didn't want to seem secretive, but she wasn't sure of his motives yet and she really couldn't tell him about the Saints.

"Okay, how about at the Starbuck's on Second Street? Nine sounds good. I'll be waiting." He smiled at her and turned to the clerk to pay. She walked out with a feeling of overwhelming joy. She had something to look forward to. She found herself practically running to the hotel to tell Jo. When she arrived at the room, Jo was laying on the bed reading a magazine. Knowing her sister well enough to know when something big has happened, Jo looked at her and said, "So, who is he?"

"How do you know if there is a he?" Grace snapped back.

"Well I would hope to the good Lord that giddy smile wasn't caused by a girl." Jo gave an evil smile and looked at her sister for more information. After a moment of silence and awkward stares, Grace gave in and told her sister about Anthony.

"What the hell? What about Murphy?" Jo angrily gushed out.

"Murphy? What? We aren't even remotely attracted to each other…" Jo looked at Grace as if to say 'Oh please'. "Okay so maybe a little but Anthony is at least public about it. And besides you know about me and Anthony."

"Yeah, I know how he proposed and then left to find his 'soul'. Great guy." Jo threw her hands up and dug into the bags for the melting food. She popped her dinner into the microwave and sat on the bed in angry silence. Grace didn't know what to say to her sister. She knew Jo was right, but she wanted so badly to give him a second chance. She looked at the red neon numbers on the hotel alarm clock. It was seven thirty already.

"Jo, I don't want to go tonight with you mad at me." Grace would of course still go, but she had to play the guilt trip first.

"Grace…if you don't want to go with me mad, then don't go." Jo knew well enough when she was being guilt tripped. Grace let out a long sigh, and went to get in the shower. Jo made a face at her behind Grace's back.

As the warm water ran down her back, memories of Anthony flooded into her mind. She was thinking about the day he left, and how bad she felt. She couldn't get him off of her mind. Not paying attention, shampoo dripped down into her eyes making her swear very loudly.

"Grace? Are you okay?" Jo yelled, hearing her sister in obvious distress.

"Why do you care? You're mad at me! Son of a…" Grace's words were cut off by a mental image of Murphy. She pictured him wiping the suds away from her eyes. _Stop it. There is nothing there. _

"I'm fine Jo, I'll be out in a minute." Grace finished rinsing her hair and stepped out of the shower. She couldn't understand why she was thinking about Murphy. Her trying to figure out why she was thinking about Murphy was making her think about him even more. She couldn't stop. She blow dried her hair and put on her make up. Taking one last look in the mirror, she smiled at her reflection and walked out to her sister.

Jo was laying on the bed with her arms across her chest staring at the T.V.. Grace picked up her purse and walked over to the bed where Jo sat. She gave Jo a hug, although she received no embrace in return.

"Stay here and get some rest. We have to get a move on tomorrow." Grace advised her pouting sister.

"Where do you suppose we go? Everyone's going to be looking for us and we don't have any source of defense. When they find us…and they will find us…we're dead." Jo looked into her sister's eyes for answers, but all she found was the same confusion that clouded her own mind. "Maybe we should go back to Connor and Murphy. At least we'll be safe."

"I'll think about it. I have to go or I'm going to be late." Grace turned to walk out.

"Grace…" Jo said as the door knob turned. "Have fun, but be safe."

"I'll be home by midnight. I love you sis."

"I love you too. Pain in the ass." Jo smirked and went back to watching T.V.. Grace closed the door behind her, letting her body rest against the cool wooden door for a moment. _We can't run for the rest of our lives. Can we?_

CHAPTER 4

Connor stared out Doc's window into the night, looking for answers to all the questions clouding his brain. He never should have let those girls out of his sight. It was hard for him to shake the feeling that something was going to happen. Someone knew about Leonard, and they were going to find out about Jo and Grace. At that last thought, Connor scooped up his trench coat and turned to his brother, who was stretched out on the lumpy couch.

"Where ya off to?" Murphy questioned, barely lifting his head.

"We have to go get them. They're in too much danger after what happened the other night."

"Aye, but they didn't tell us where they were going. We can't just go around looking for them; that's the easiest way to go


	5. authors note

Hey! Sorry its taken soooooo long for an update, but new chapters will be up soon, id say within the next month and I promise to make it worth the almost 2 year wait.

-mystikeyes


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